Improvement in mill-picks



UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

THOMAS E. WAY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO WILLIAM H. REEVES OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN MlLL-PICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,116, dated March 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS It. WAY, of the city of Springfield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Mill-Picks, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class of millpicks in which an adjustable cuttingblade is used 5 and consists, first, in the construction of the head part which holds the blade; second, in the construction of the handle and the manner of inserting the same into the head and securing it in place when the pick is mounted ready for use.

In the first part of my invention handled eccentrics and springs are used as clamping devices, their object being to not only hold the blade of the pick firmly and securely in place, but to allow of easy and ready adjustment of the same, and its instant removal from the head, when required, without the use of tools. In the second part of my invention the handle is constructed so that the sides (of that portion which is inserted through the collar into the head) have different degrees of inclination, its object being to change the angle formed by the pick and handle to suit different operators, and for the difierent qualities of dress given to the millstones or burrs.

The same clamping device as that which secures the blade to the head is used to hold the handle in place, with the exception of havin g a more extended spring. Its object is twofold, as it serves also to take up the shock or concussion of the stroke by its elasticity, preventing a rebound, and enabling the operator to cut his lines with great exactness, thereby giving an even and perfectly uniform dress to his burrs.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved mill-pick with handle mounted as when ready for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the head with the blade secured in position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the head with the blade, smaller eccentric, and springs removed. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the spring used as a bearing for the greater eccentric d.

a is the head of my mill-pick; b, the blade, which is laid upon the top of a, between the upturned lugs m m, formed on each side of the head, at the forward part of the same.

These lugs form bearings for the journals or pin on which the eccentric d is hung. e is a segmental spring, Fig. 1, under the eccentric d,curved so that the ends rest on the blade I), while the eccentric, when pressed down, bears upon the back of 6 near its central part. The forward end of e bites down upon the blade I), just opposite to the forward point of the head, while an upturned flange, e, from its back end, has its ends (which are extended outward) resting in the notches or slots t t, formed in lugs, which are a continuation of m m, and just back of them, on the sides of the head. The object of this arrangement is to hold the spring 6 from dropping out of its place when blade I) is removed. cl is a smaller eccentric, which is pivoted to a pin, a. This passes down through the segmental spring 6, and a slot in the rear end of blade 1), into the head. It has a screw-thread on its lower end, and holes 2 i (which are drilled at regular distances apart in the head) are tapped to receive it, so that as the blade wears off at the point by use, the smaller eccentric d, with its spring 6, can be shifted toward the point of the head and the pin a screwed into any one of the holes z i, (the handle of (1 being used as a lever to turn it,) and secured as shown in Fig. 1, where the entire blade is clamped.

When it is desired to remove blade b to sharpen it, orfor the insertion of another, the handles of d and d are thrown backward and they are released from their bearings, and the blade is withdrawn from and inserted at the front part of the head. By this arrangement the insertion, removal, and adjustment of the blade are accomplished without the use of any tools whatever.

c is the handle, which is shown inserted into the open collar a. The upper part of c is squared to fit into the collar (the opening in which is of same shape) and its forward side 0 is but slightly inclined from the line of 0, while the side 0 is made of greater inclination, so that by reversing the position of the two sides 0 and o the angle of the handle to the head is changed to suit the operator. The collar a is made open, and of the peculiar curved shape, Fig. 1, to save metal in its construction, and at the same time to give it sufficient depth to hold the handle. On the back part is a pivoted eccentric, d. This is shown clamped down upon spring 6, which is made long enough to extend up into collar a, and downward as far as the square part of the handle (on which it rests) extends. This spring may be partly straight and partly curved, as shown. The long distance between its end bearings allows the necessary amount of elasticity, while the eccentric d, pressing upon it, keeps the handle in its place. All of the springs used are made of thin fiat steel curved to suit, and tempered.

The head a; I prefer constructing of a good quality of brass or gun-metal, though it may be made of iron or other material.

I am aware that separate blades have been used in mill-picks; but the manner of securing them in the head and of attaching the handle in a rigid form has prevented their general use.

I claim- 1. The arrangement of eccentrics d and d with springs c and a, blade I), and head a, as

shown and described, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. Ears or lugs m m on the head, when the same are used as bearings for eccentrics or other clamping device, in the manner shown and described, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Handle 0, with its reversible sides 0 and 0, of different inclinations, in combination with collar to and the clamping device, heretofore described, consisting. of the eccentric (1 and spring 0, arranged in the manner shown and described, as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

THOMAS R. WAY.

Attest:

B. O. CONVERSE, A. BRADFORD. 

